Louisville Hip Hop Artist Killed in Indiana Casino Ambush

LilDon Williams, aka Young Block, was gunned down in a Caesars casino parking lot on Saturday. (Image: courtesy of Luni Films / YouTube)

LilDon Williams, 32, was killed in a shooting on Sunday morning at Caesars Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino, apparently the victim of a planned ambush at the resort. 

Williams, known as Young Block in the hip-hop community, performed at a concert in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday night. He then visited the casino across the state border in Indiana with a group of friends and family shortly after midnight.

Suspects Waited for Williams, Stole Car During Escape

Surveillance footage from the casino revealed that Williams and his crew were followed into the parking lot by a dark-colored car, which remained in place without anyone entering or exiting the vehicle while Williams spent three hours inside the casino.

When Williams walked to his car to leave, two individuals wearing masks and gloves exited the dark car. Police say that they were armed with rifles. Williams attempted to run, but the two men cornered and shot him, according to Harrison County Sherrif Nick Smith. 

Williams died from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities say that one of the suspects left with Williams’ car, a 2013 silver and black Dodge Charger. Police are currently searching for the vehicle. No description of the suspects is available at this time.

According to police, there has never been before been a fatal shooting at Caesars Southern Indiana. Rather than a sign of greater danger at the facility, Smith says that Williams was targeted for murder.

“This was an isolated incident where an individual was targeted, hunted down, and executed,” Sheriff Smith told reporters. 

Victim Leaves Behind Wife, Young Daughter

Family members suggested no obvious motive for the murder. They pointed out that Williams worked full-time at a Ford plant in Louisville while he pursued his music career on the side. He is survived by his wife Rannisha and a six-year-old daughter. 

“He was a good man, a good dad,” Williams’ wife said at a press conference. “He was hardworking. He didn’t deserve this. We have a six-year-old daughter together who I now have to prepare her that she’s not going to see him again.” 

Williams actively promoted himself as a musician on social media. He had dedicated Young Block feeds on Facebook, Spotify, Instagram, and YouTube, and had previously released an album, Up 1, on Spotify and Apple Music. Family members said that Williams was preparing to release a new album shortly. 

Caesars Southern Indiana is located in Elizabeth, not far from the Ohio River and Louisville. The resort opened in 1998, and was formerly known as Horseshoe Southern Indiana. For most of its existence, the facility was run as a riverboat casino, but was replaced with a land-based casino in 2019.